Prince John Magruder: His Life and Campaigns

He was one of the most intriguing characters of the Civil War era.
As famous for his courage as for his ornate uniforms and flamboyant
style, he won intrepid victories on the peninsula of Virginia and
successfully defended Texas during the long war's waning days. Now,
in the first full-length biography of Major General John Bankhead
Magruder, acclaimed historian Paul D. Casdorph has created a
brilliant portrait of the Confederate general dubbed "Prince
John."

Born in Virginia in 1807, Magruder attended the University of
Virginia, where he dined with Thomas Jefferson and his classmates
included a young writer named Edgar Allan Poe. These were the first
in a long line of famous acquaintances. While at West Point,
Magruder met the future Confederate leaders with whom he would
ultimately join forces: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Joseph
E. Johnston.

Graduating from West Point in 1830, Magruder embarked upon three
action-packed decades of service in the U.S. Army, taking him from
Florida during the Seminole wars to the frontiers of Maine, New
York, and Texas. In 1847, his pivotal leadership of General
Winfield Scott's forces was instrumental in defeating Santa Anna at
the gates of Mexico City. It was in that conflict that Magruder
introduced a young lieutenant named Thomas Jackson to the strategic
value of deploying rapidly maneuverable artillery. Fourteen years
later, at Bull Run, Jackson would earn a colorful nickname of his
own: Stonewall.

By the spring of 1861, Prince John Magruder had risen to the
estimable position of commander of the Washington garrison.
Although he knew Abraham Lincoln and several cabinet members
personally, when secession and war became imminent, Magruder
resigned his duties as the president's bodyguard to race home to
Virginia to answer the Confederate call to arms.

In the opening engagements of the Civil War, Prince John's
initiative and audacity earned him both admiration and acclaim. His
often outrageous behavior, spurred by heavy drinking, also brought
notoriety. Magruder's larger-than-life style was in sharp contrast
to the rigid standards demanded by the Confederate leadership, and
Prince John was transferred to the district of Texas, New Mexico,
and Arizona. Once out from under the eyes of his stern taskmasters
in Virginia, the eccentric--yet unquestionably courageous--officer
rallied his command. His heroic defense of the Texas coast
culminated in a great victory at the Battle of Galveston on New
Year's Day, 1863.

When the war ended, he headed for Mexico, and yet another great
adventure. Serving in the government of Emperor Maximilian,
Magruder, once more, added his own unique flourish to a historic
upheaval. With enemy forces closing in, he attempted to arrange an
escape plot for the doomed ruler. When the plan failed, Magruder
fled to Cuba. Prince John eventually returned to the United States,
where he died in 1871.

As befits its bold and brassy subject, Prince John Magruder is a
riveting--and overdue--portrait of one of the nineteenth century's
most charismatic military figures. It reveals new insights into the
inner workings of the Confederacy, and sheds new light on
lesser-known engagements in Texas and the American West. Daring
military adventure and dazzling biography come together in this
compelling chronicle of a dynamic individual who managed to create
a few ripples of his own within the swirling tides of
history.

PAUL D. CASDORPH is Chairman Emeritus of the Department of History at West Virginia State College. He is the author of several books, including Let the Good Times Roll: Life at Home in America During World War II and the Civil War dual biography Lee and Jackson: Confederate Chieftains.

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